Top of the morning to you and a fine one it is. Blue skies, cool breezes, and plenty of chirping birds are enveloping the cozy Pharmalot campus, which is cause to visit our cafeteria and fire up the coffee kettle for yet another cup of stimulation. Our choice today is, once again, hot buttery rum, which is enhanced by a generous spoonful of locally made honey — sweets for the sweet, you know. Meanwhile, we have assembled the menu of tidbits for you to peruse. We hope you have a wonderful day, and please do keep in touch. Once again, we will note that our settings have changed to accept postcards, telegrams, and pen letters. …
The Biden administration took steps to alleviate shortages of cancer drugs for children, part of a final push for one of the president’s domestic priorities: reducing the nation’s cancer burden, The Wall Street Journal writes. The U.S. government is testing a new way to prevent treatment disruptions for seven pediatric cancer drugs by improving communication between hospitals, nonprofits, and wholesalers. Shortages of cancer medicines regularly plague hospitals and patients, sometimes forcing them to delay or change care. Low margins on cheap, generic drugs including chemotherapies have resulted in a fragile supply chain. When something goes wrong, some hospitals hoard supply, while others delay or scale back treatment.
A charter company working for Charles River Laboratories, one of the largest U.S. clinical research organizations, was recently fined by Canadian authorities for improperly shipping long-tailed macaques into the country, and the flights have now prompted a probe by officials who oversee an international treaty governing endangered species, STAT reports. The episode has now caught the attention of officials who oversee the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, a treaty for protecting endangered plants and animals from the threats of international trade. A spokesperson for the CITES Secretariat, which oversees the treaty, did not say whether International Air Transportation Association regulations were violated, but did say the secretariat is “looking into the matter.” And three members of the Canadian Parliament last week wrote to three different government ministers asking them to investigate the shipments.
